Caleb's courage began before birth

By Beck

My son, Caleb, had an ischaemic stroke while in utero. I first realised something was wrong when he began having seizures at just one day old. He was flown from Wodonga to Melbourne, where an MRI confirmed what I never imagined possible—Caleb had suffered multiple strokes before he was even born. It was an enormous shock. I didn’t even know that babies could have strokes. It’s not something you get told about.

Caleb and I spent a very long month at the Royal Children’s Hospital undergoing many tests. Doctors believe a clot traveled from the placenta through the umbilical cord, reached his heart, and then made its way to his brain.

The uncertainty was heartbreaking. Doctors couldn’t tell me if Caleb would ever walk or talk. The emotional toll was immense. The first thought was what did I do that caused this? But the doctors reassured me that there was nothing I had done wrong, and these things can just happen. After the initial shock, my focus shifted to a single question: What do I need to do to give him the best life possible?

In many ways, we were lucky to find out so early. Discovering his stroke on day two meant early intervention could start right away, and that’s made a huge difference.

Living in a rural area has had its challenges. We’ve made countless trips to Melbourne and Shepparton for specialist care, as there are no specialist services locally. Over the years, Caleb has had Botox injections, casting, AFOs, and hand splints. We are also starting to have discussions regarding calf and hip surgeries in the future for Caleb. It’s been a rollercoaster, the scariest one I have ever been on. But despite everything, he’s doing incredibly well, given the extent of the damage and the uncertainty of those early days around what the future would hold.

Today, Caleb is 7 years old. He has been diagnosed with left hemiplegia Cerebral Palsy and ADHD, but he doesn't let that hold him back. He’s a bright, happy, and determined little boy. Last year, Caleb started at a mainstream school. There have been many ups and downs but he's doing well. He absolutely loves sports and has discovered a real passion for little athletics. Later this year, he’ll be eligible for a multi-class classification, allowing him to compete at a higher level alongside other kids with similar challenges. It’s something he is so excited to do, competing against kids just like him.

I never could have imagined this journey—but Caleb continues to amaze me and everyone around him every single day.